


Opening up

by Northlight



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Byleth being vulnerable, Claude being adorable, Confession, Cuddles, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Main story spoiler, Post Timeskip, Sleepy Cuddles, breakdown - Freeform, kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-06 05:48:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20286412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northlight/pseuds/Northlight
Summary: Byleth has a breakdown in the middle of the night and our favorite deer comes to her rescue.





	Opening up

Byleth was tossing and turning. The small room she resided in felt stuffy even though it wasn‘t warm outside. Finally she pushed her blanket off her body and left her quarters.   
The air was crisp and it was blissfully peaceful inside the walls of the monastery which painted a stark kontrast to the feeling of being on the battlefield, a feeling the young woman had regrettably grown well accustomed to. Without noticing her bare feet carried her accross the grass in front of the students quarters and down the smooth stone steps towards the greenhouse. The glass of the building reflected the full moon towards the fishing pond. The soft ripple of the water was glistening and reverberating the delicate rays of light.   
She passed by the shed, walked onto the rough wooden planks of the dock before setteling on the edge of it with her feet barely grazing the water.   
The cold feeling coursing throughout her body brought her back out of her trance and into the darkness of reality.   
Byleth was hardly one to show emotion, hell, the very first time she cried was not too long ago. Back then it had hit her like a sudden wave throwing her over and pulling her under but now she felt more like she was buried alive. Short of breath and this incredible weight holding her down.   
Never really taking her emotions into consideration resulted in her now being completely unsure about how to deal with this feeling, she never had the time or opportunity to explore this side of herself so she decided for the first thing that felt at least a tiny bit natural.   
Her tears landed on her thighs slowly trickeling down her legs until they disappeared in the pond beneath her.   
She had no idea how long she sat there like this until she heard a deep voice from a few meters behind her but she couldn’t quite make out what the person was saying because her blood was rushing in her ears and her body was still being shaken by sobs that faintly echoed into the air.   
„Byleth?“, Claude was closer now, his boots creaking on the wooden boards.   
„Do you mind some company?“. He was directly behind her now but his voice was soft as if talking to a shy deer.   
Still unable to make any sound besides the whimpers she just shook her head and scooted to the side to make room for him. He sat down next to her folding his legs so his leather boots wouldn’t get ruined. He wore a simple white nightshirt with loose black pants which protected him far better against the cold then Byleths thin nightgown.   
„I’ll be right back, don’t run away teach.“, Claude tried to lighten the mood before hurrying to the shed and getting a blanket. When he returned to his seat he just wrapped the blanket around her before falling into complete silence.   
After a few minutes Byleth calmed down enough to finally speak up.   
„I must seem so pathetic...sitting here in the middle of the night crying.“  
Claude immediately turned to her. „Don’t say such things. You had to grow up way too fast and before you were even a proper adult yourself you’re thrown into taking care of students especially in battle and then Jeralt...not to mention the war and everything. That’s more than enough for a breakdown. Stop ignoring your feelings or you’ll only make it worse.“  
„I know it’s just all new to me...I don’t even know what to do right now. I’ve never felt this helpless...“. Byleth kept her eyes fixated on the water.   
„That’s perfectly normal to feel. You just have to find out what comforts you. And that means taking care of yourself. Something you probably never really did.“ Claudes voice sounded somber.   
She just shook her head.   
„For some it helps to talk...for others silence is better. Sometimes a hug can make a big difference.“  
Byleth lifted her head for the first time and briefly met his eyes.   
Claude just opened his arms and she hesitantly leaned into the embrace.   
They just sat there for some time. His arms wrapped around her slender frame while her hands were holding onto his shirt like she would fall to her death if she were to let go. Tears dripped onto the fabric of his shirt.   
Another strong blow of wind made Byleths whole body shiver.   
„You always take care of us, now it’s time somebody takes care of you.“, Claude gave his former Teacher a small smile before picking her up, still wrapped in the blanket, and started carrying her to his room.   
Byleth wanted to protest but the second she was wrapped up in his arms resting her head against his chest she just felt so safe. It felt right. So she just relaxed against him and for the first time in weeks she peacefully drifted away.   
Soft rays of light hit Byleths face yet they were strong enough to make her roll over, resulting in her smacking into the wall. Except this wasn’t a wall. It was softer and warmer and moved. And it spoke: „Mornin‘ Teach.“   
„Huh? Claude?“  
The woman opened her eyes to look straight onto Claudes chest. One of his arms was wrapped around her waist while the other was under his head. His smile as broad as daylight.   
„Did you sleep well?“  
She simply nodded with a faint smile.   
„It’s Sunday so I propose a day of staying in bed.“  
The statement was accompanied by his typical wink.   
„I am truly tempted.“  
„It’s settled then!“   
His laughter rumbled through his chest as Byleth hid her face against it and just relaxed.   
„Listen, I know you’re probably going to think I’m out of my mind but hear me out first. Those five years I had a lot of time to think and I really missed you. I was worried you could be...“, Claude gulped before continuing. „The point is you really mean a lot to me. More than you probably should but when I saw you again I decided that I should just stop overthinking because who knows what happens next. All I know is I don’t want any moment of my life to be without you. I let myself fall in love with you in those five years where I stopped caring what others thought and started caring about what I felt. So long story short: I love you.“, he hesitantly met her eyes which were full of tears.   
„By? What’s going on? I’m so sorry.“ but before Claude could continue panicking she took a deep breath and interrupted him.   
„Claude! For Sothis‘ sake you did nothing wrong! Please calm down. I’m just so happy...I didn’t even realize I was crying at first. I love you too. I just always told myself that it was egotistical of me to hope you would reciprocate those feelings. I was afraid that if I let you in I‘d hurt you...“, her voice broke.   
„We should just stop talking.“   
Claude chuckled before leaning down and placing his lips on hers.


End file.
